Lock for vehicle doors



Get. 24, 1939. H B. JOHNS 2,176,969

' LOCK FOR VEHICLE DOQRS Filed April 13, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR 18 v 19 v Z0 i Oct. 24, 1939.

H. B. JOHNS 2,176,969

LOCK FOR VEHICLE DOORS Filed April 13, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 96 a I 47 9 14 4 5 M 12 :27 7 6g 1: J6 15 gg V a,]? 1.9

. /9 '12 1? 14 7 m- 24 7 13 i I "16 39 (42 m K INVENTOR Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlC 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to looks especially designed for use in motor vehicles although use in other fields are also contemplated.

' As at present constructed, the locks of automobile doors are provided with handles which protrude so that may be grasped at all times. It is of course necessary to have them project beyond the outside of the doorsior manipulation when the doors are unlocked, but that selfsame protrusion, when the doors are locked, provides a theft and damagehazard which this invention seeks to obviate. Locked vehicles .have been broken into by the mere e pedient of inserting between adjacent handles, a jack-like device to 18 force them apart with a pressure suflicient to not only spring the doors open but to mar and mutilate them to the point where expensive repairs are necessary. In addition to the theft and damage hazard 20 there is the further disadvantage that the protruding handles offer means for unauthorized persons to enter the vehicle although occupied. This has often occured in recent years even at busy traflic points and the result was either a 25 "hold up of the occupants of the vehicle or a kidnapping. The advantages of having the door handles withdrawn into sockets so they may not be grasped, will readily be apparent-when it is pointed out-that not only cannot the doors be '30 opened butthere is afforded no means to which a person on the running board of the vehicle may hold on while surreptitiously seeking entrance to the interior thereof. A modern auto equipped with shatter proof glass and with locks having retractable handles designed I in accordance with this invention will ailord a safe haven for its occupants undercircumstances above set forth.

This invention, therefore, contemplates improvements in vehicle lock striictures which con- 40 sist in equiping all the doors of such a vehicle with locks having handles which nest in recesses in' the lock escutcheon plateswhen the doors are I locked so they may not be tampered with by unauthorized persons.

5 An important object of the invention is to pro vide locks for vehicles, the handles of which may bedrawn into the escutcheon plate recesses by a person within the vehicle so no one from the outside may open any of the doors.

'50 Another object or the invention is to provide means in vehicle locks whereby the lock handles may be pushed'into their recesses from the outside of the vehicle and thereby automatically locking the doors, key operated means being provided to 55v reset one-of the handles for manipulation,

' Another obiectis to provide means whereby the door windows must be closed or only slightly open before the doors can be locked and the handles withdrawn.

A further object is to provide, in a motor ve- 5 hicle, locks having handles which may be withdrawn, the locking means being either incorporated with the handle in one unitary assembly or being separate means associated with the handle and lock bolt. 10

These objects and advantageous features and others laterapparent are accomplished by the novel and practical construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter disclosed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, constituting an essential part of this disclosure, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a motor vehicle provided with locks constructed in accord- .anoe with this invention.

Figure 2 is a brokenvertical sectional view through a lock, the handle being shown retracted.

' Figure 3 is a plan sectional view thereof.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the handle projected for manipulation,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the parts as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view as taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail there is shown a closed motor vehicle having doors adapted to be locked. As is usual in vehicle of (this type one ofv the doors such as i0 is provided with key operated lock means to afford entrance to the interior thereof, the other doors II, when locked, being opened only from within the vehicle. a

sinceall the locks on the doors ofthe vehicle are similar with the exception that one door, such as door It is provided in addition with a key operated lock to raise pawl 52 from the door exterior, only one look will be described.

The lock structure comprises the usual bolt I2 slidable in guides II on the plate I4 and two opposedhandles for operating said bolt, one of which handles is retractable so it may not be manipulated to operate the bolt. Although no keeper for the bolt is illustrated. any usual form thereof may be employed to cooperate with the bolt. I

A roll-back I 5 fixed to the square shank l6 which is telescopically engaged in the similarly shaped hollow ll of the handle shank l8; is sa of the handle l9.. 3

The handle shank i8 is j'ournalled in the escutcheon plate 20 which is provided with a recess 2| of the sameshape and size as the handle l9. Between the handle shank l8 and the roll-back I is perferably disposed a coil spring 22:

A usual type of bolt spring 23 is provided to normally hold the bolt projected and in this ino stance it is preferred to employ an auxiliary plate 24 having slotted bolt.

The inner. side of the door is provided with a handle 28 pivoted at 21 and provided with an arm 28 within the door structure. A connecting link 29 is provided between the arm 28 and a stud 30 on the plate 24. The link 29 is provided with the slot 3| where it engages the stud 30.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the bolt l2 may be withdrawn and the door opened either by rocking the handle l9 so the roll-back l5 will retract the bolt, or by rocking the handle 26 downward to pull the palte 24 and so through the connections 25 pull the bolt.

The handle shank I8 at its inner end is pref-- erablyformed with an annular groove 32 in which is clamped a member or members comprising tha beveled dog 33, the link pivot trunnion 34 and a projecting portion 35 adapted to, coact with the glass window 36 of the door, in a manner later described.

The trunnion 34 has pivotally connected to itone end of a link 31, the other end of which is connected to one arm of a rock lever 38 pivoted at 39 to a bracket 40 fixed to the plate i4, Another arm of the rock lever 38 ispivotally connected at 4| to a link 42 provided with a connections as at'25 with the knuckle joint 43 and having a slotted end 44 engaged over the pin 45 on the arm 45 which may 40 be integrally made with. the arm 28.

.One of the doors such as l8 may be provided with a key operated cylinder lock 41 having an eccentric roll-back 48 engaged'in an opening 49 of the yoke 50 which is arranged to move'vertically in theguide 5|.

A spring tensioned beveled pawl 52 is slidably engaged in.the yoke and is provided with a lateral extension 53 having a sloping bottom edge 54. A member 55 is preferably affixed to the bolt l2 and its outermost end 55 normally protrudes to a position directly beneath and coniiguous to the highest portion of the angled edge The other doors ll of the vehicle are each also provided with the mechanism above described except that the cylinder lock 41 and the uppermost portibn of the yoke 50 are omitted. In other respects all the doors may be identical.

In operation, if it is desired to lock the doors with the vehicle unoccupied,. it is only necessary to push on the handles IQ of the doors so the dog 33 of each may latch behind its pawl 52. The link 31, lever 38 and link 42 will be moved thereby but the handle 28 will not be mpved be- -cause' the slot 44 in the link 42 will merely move up on the pin 45.

r 0 2,176,969 adapted to be 'pivotally rocked by manipulation of that door. The projection .55 will then cam the pawl 52-upwardly through contact with the sloping edge 54 thereof to release the handle of that door so its spring 22 may project it out .of'

its recess.

If it is desired to retract the handles l9 from within the vehicle, the handle 28 of each door is raised to pull on the link 42 and through the lever 38 .and link 31 to pull the door handle until the dog 33 and pawl 52 are engaged. The handles l3 may be reset as previously described.

It will .be noted that the window 36 is in the path of the projection 35 rigidly clamped to the handle shank except'when the window is entirely raised thus preventing complete retraction of the handle. In this manner the vehicle may be locked-only when all the windows .are closed which eliminates the possibility of oversight of this important function. It may of course be arranged to 'have the windows sllghtlylopen if desired and yet permit retracting of the door handles.

7' Letters Patent is: r

1. In combination with the door of a vehicle having a movable glass panel, lock means including a retractable handle adapted to be moved into a recess in said door and means carried by the handle coacting' with said panel whereby the handle can beretracted into the recess only when the panel is in a predetermined position.

of each door downwardly to retract the bolt I2 2. In combination with the door 0! a vehicle 59 having a movable glass panel, a lock having a retractable handle adapted to be moved into a recess in said door and means carried by the handle adapted to move across the pathpfl movement of said panel, said handlebeing mov-' able into its recess only when the panel is out of the path or movement of the handle carried means.

3. In a door, a movable panel, a lock having a handle retractable into a recess in said door, and means having interfering relation with said panel ,to prevent retraction of said handle into said handle to lock said door only when said panel is out of the path 01' movement thereof.

6. In a door, in combination, lock mech anism for, said door, means to operate said lock mechanism, a rotatable handle connected with said means and arranged for sliding movement,-

transversely to the sliding movement of said handle, and means carried by said handle and movable thereby into the path of movement or said panel. l

' HENRY B. JOHNS. 

